The problem is the magic enables the wizard to duplicate most of the event stated in the Bible, however it is a taboo in the world of magic to disclose the existence of magic in public. An offense punishable by exile into oblivion oversee by the wizardry council members and wizardry police. All magic do not require praying or calling out name to work. I'm trying to create such a protagonist to be both a faithful Christian and a professional wizard at same time for my story. How can I made it work in the modern day setting?
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3$\begingroup$ This is more of a plot thing than world building. The question is that how to hide the magic from public, or how to hide the use of magic from the wizard council. Becoming a bishop would probably draw a lot of attention from the council. Is it necessary, if all the protagonist want to do is cure people and do good deeds? Becoming a bishop required being a priest. I think that would already be a nono-thing for a wizard. What is a professional wizard? $\endgroup$– user3644640Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 9:14
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$\begingroup$ Bishops don't perform any kind of miracles, they're simply higher ranks within the Church. Are you intending a second Jesus Christ, or does your religion possess a different kind of magic (aka miracles)? $\endgroup$– user10945Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 9:56
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$\begingroup$ @user3644640, I feel that this questions is mostly worldbuilding. The real problem with it is that it is multiple questions squashed into one: (1a) How to conceal his use of magic from fellow magic users so they won't exile him to oblivion / (1b) How to conceal his use of magic from the general public / (2a) How to reconcile his use of magic with his conscience if he believes magic is inherently evil and forbidden by God / (2b) How to reconcile his use of magic with his belief that he should obey the rules of his denomination if those rules forbid magic . $\endgroup$– LostinfranceCommented Dec 8, 2016 at 11:38
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1$\begingroup$ @Lostinfrance Your 2a and 2b are clear plot holes that may need to be explained in the story. 1a and 1b are the conflict that creates the story. As a world building, it would probably be more about the nature of church and the wizards. Now the questions are completely about the story. $\endgroup$– user3644640Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 11:55
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$\begingroup$ What, magician? No! I'm a miracle worker. $\endgroup$– ZxyrraCommented Dec 8, 2016 at 12:38
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4 Answers
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Magic, as is understood in our world, is incompatible with Christianity. Because it is a way to appropriate and manipulate the fundamental laws of nature above the power that God gave men. Both Old and New Testament condemn sorcery on several passages.
Note, that this is different from miracles, in which God is the author of the prodigy. The human didn't make the miracle, he asked God to do it and gave God the merits. In fact there is an interpretation that Moses wasn't allowed on the Promised Land because he said that "I made water spout from a rock in the desert", therefore not giving God His due.
Now, there are lots of people in the Church that don't follow Christianity's rules. Some of them are even bishops. But you can't say he is a faithful Christian. If he is, he is a Christian in spite of his Magic usage, not because of it.
Also, this wizard's "sin" is undercover and he can't allow it to be revealed, not only for his own sake, but for Wizardkind's sake.
So, if you want this to suceed, your going to create an alternative Christianity, with different assumptions. Because a bishop would be under severe scrutiny by the Church. The existence of Magic would be under severe peril of being revealed to the world, with a wizard bishop.
In fact, before being a bishop, he was a priest, and a deacon before that, and a seminarian before that. It is almost impossible for a man with such a backtrack to become bishop without being discovered.
The only realistic alternative that I can give you is if the wizard renounced the use of his Magic when he entered the seminary.
answered Dec 8, 2016 at 9:43
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1$\begingroup$ As an alternative to creating an alternative Christianity with different assumptions, you could create an alternative magic. For instance if some people turned out to have psionic powers or superpowers whether they wanted to or not, these powers would be "magic" in one sense but would not involve any intent to appropriate and manipulate the laws of nature or contact with demons. They would merely be a natural ability the science of which is not yet understood. $\endgroup$ Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 10:06
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1$\begingroup$ Also worth pointing out that the wise men who brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to Jesus are described as "magi" and practised a form of astrology but are still portrayed as good. $\endgroup$ Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 10:18
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1$\begingroup$ Good points on both accounts, although the magi were given more leeway, since they were gentiles. $\endgroup$ Commented Dec 8, 2016 at 10:33
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The Church is a long running institution, I'd imagine that they would have learnt about the existence of the wizards by now.
Having a wizard rise to fame in the church by doing these biblical events would most likely be seen as an attempt to gain control of portions of the church. In the end religion can be a good thing but the big churches are more worried about keeping the money flowing in. Anything that threatens this would be dealt with quickly and efficiently.
I can see the Church contacting the wizard council and demanding for the main character to be dealt with. For the council it would be easier to get rid of him than to oppose the church.
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For a twist in the plot:
The wizard council IS the upper echelons of the Church. Back when the church was recognized by the Roman Emperor, the wizard council saw an opportunity and mass converted. At the time, the church wasn't aware of magic, and the wizards simulated miracles through their magic and rapidly rose to the top as blessed sons of the church. Once in place, they took advantage of their positions to scout out new wizards and bring them into the fold. Non magical people can join the church, but they'll only rise so far, and though they may be unhappy about it, the church will point out that their brother who is blessed with miracles is surely a worthier candidate, and they'll be next in line when another vacancy opens up. Those who make too much fuss will be accused of heresy against the Mother Church and burnt at the stake.
Your protagonist might be unaware of this when he joins and tries to conceal his magic, only to find that the ones getting ahead are cheating with magic, but nobody seems to notice.
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Perhaps your character doesn't see himself to be a wizard. As a child, he may have inadvertently performed miracles and was seen by his community as a gift from God. When he grows older, he is entwined in Christianity and believes his gifts are given to him by God and so enters the church. He moves up the ranks to Bishop, never identifying himself as a wizard, but possessing magical powers. If necessary, he stops using his 'powers' claiming that God's new path for him is a leader of the Church.
